International joint laboratories Program

(IJL)

Call for expressions of interest 2018

Timetable

Deadline for submission of a letter of intent: 21 February 2018

Pre-selection of letters of intent: 30 March 2018

Deadline for submission of full application form: 29 June 2018

Selection of projects: by the end of November 2018

Publication of results: first half of December 2018

Availability of funds: by February 2019

Objectives/background

The IRD is launching a new call for proposals for the creation of International Joint Laboratories (IJL).

IJLs are one of the main tools used by the IRD to support higher education and scientific research in
developing countries, this with the aim of increasing international outreach of their scientific
communities

The long term objective of IJL projects is to become (or to be integrated into) an operational structure
for sustainable scientific research under the responsibility of the partner country. Projects are jointly
created and managed by teams from one or more higher education and research institutions in
southern countries, and one or more research units affiliated with the IRD. Projects are focused on
targeted scientific subjects and, as a general rule, are based on a shared platform (offices, analytical
platforms, training programmes, equipment, observation mechanisms, and calculation methods).

An IJL project may involve several locations if required, but must not cause an excessive dispersion of
resources and objectives, which would be more characteristic of a research network. IRD may also
support some research networks, through a specific facility : the International Research Group (GDRI-
Sud).

The IJL’s partner institutions must want to provide the critical mass of complementary skills focused
on converging scientific objectives. Each partner agree to dedicate long-term human, material, and
financial resources. All in all the pooling of these resources must represent clear added value for the
scientific community in the partner country.

Adapted approaches must be taken based on the specific features of higher education and scientific
research in partner countries. The medium-term goal of the IJL must be to create top-tier nationally
and internationally recognised scientific research and training centres in the concerned subject areas.
The IJL may also provide a supporting role in a top-tier centre project already run by the partner
country, more broadly involving the support of French or international partners.

The project will initially be supported during a two-year incubation phase, during which different
partners can test out the project trajectory and the added value it presents in terms of the IJL’s
medium-term objectives. Following this two-year period, and if the trajectory is deemed satisfactory
after a mid-term interview with the head of the scientific department, the project will be supported
for a further three years during the consolidation phase of the project.

The IJL will have its own scientific supervisory committee made up of representatives from
participating laboratories, as well as outside members selected by both partners. The committee will
make proposals on the direction and scientific choices of the IJL, as well as suggestions on IJL’s
research, training, and valorisation activities.
The IJL is subject to an agreement between the higher education and research institutions that
provide the critical mass of long-term human and financial resources to reach the overall objective of
the project.
Researchers in French research units taking part in the IJL remain full members of their home units
under the scientific and administrative responsibility of the head of this unit. Similarly, researchers of
partner institutions remain full members of their home universities and/or research centers.

Target of the call for proposals

Proposals relating to environmental and/or community observation mechanisms, recognised

nationally or internationally, when relevant to the subject of the project, are particularly welcome.

This list of subjects is not exclusive. Other research programmes relating to the sustainable
development objectives that set the framework for international dialogue up to 2030 are also
eligible.

The IRD research units involved in a IJL project shall ensure its consistency with the priorities of IRD’s
strategic direction plan and 2016-2020 target-base contract ; particular attention will be given to
projects contributing to the Interdisciplinary Structuring Programs (PSIPs) dynamics. Similarly,
researchers of partner institutions should ensure the coherence between the project and the
priorities of their national higher education and research system.

Selection process and development phases

The selection and development of new IJL projects will take place in eight steps:

 21 February 2018: Submission of a letter of intent for preselection by the IRD's scientific
department. During this stage, the department will examine the overall coherence of the
projects in line with the IRD existing scientific research and capacity building approach (IJLs,
JEAIs, other regional projects) and along with the institute's strategic priorities, and with these
of partner country, if expressed. During this stage, the initiatives that stand out (based on
subject, geographical region, etc.) will be analysed. Projects appearing to be the most mature
and best positioned in relation to the target of the call (see above) will be preselected. In this
initial selection stage the added value represented by projects in the following areas will be the
main criteria:
o Scientific publications
o Structuring effect on research and/or higher education in the country/countries
concerned
o The perceived level of commitment from partner institutions

 30 March 2018: Pre-selection of letters of intent.

 29 June 2018: Submission of full applications to the scientific departments of partner

institutions.
 September-October 2018: hearing of stakeholders by a scientific committee composed of
members of IRD’s scientific commission(s) and Scientific Council (“the scientific committee”).
This evaluation will be conducted on the basis of the criteria outlined in the ‘project evaluation
criteria’ section.

 November 2018: Final decision process for potential creation of IJL between partner
institutions with effect from 1 January 2019.

 2019-2020: Two-year incubation phase with annual financial support from the IRD of €40,000
maximum. The incubation phase will be concluded by an interview with joint project coordinators
and scientific departments in partner institutions. The aim of the interview is to establish whether
it is worthwhile continuing the project into the consolidation phase.

 Post-2020: Three-year consolidation phase if recommendations following the incubation

phase were positive. The following will also be analysed before entering into this phase:
• Project specifics
• Degree of ownership by partner countries
• Capacity to bring together the critical mass of researchers and resources to create a
sustainable influential platform for research and/or training
• The potential of such a platform to become a recognised research and training centre in
the long term.
The consolidation phase may be extended by five (2+3) years if required and approved by the
relevant parties in each partner’s organisation.

Eligibility criteria

 For the French partner, the joint IJL project coordinator and staff involved in the project must be
attached to a Joint Research Unit or an Associated Unit under the supervision of the IRD.
 The project must be run by one or more research units which provide the human resources
required for the project, ensuring sustainability in the long term.
 Agreement from partner institutions to participate in the project and contribute to funding.
 Particular attention will be paid to the projects in line with the national priorities in higher
education and research of least developed countries (LDC) and disadvantaged regions and
communities of other developing countries.
Project evaluation criteria

Projects submitted will be subject to scientific evaluation by the scientific committee based on the
following criteria:
 Scientific quality: scientific and training priorities that will be developed over five to eight
years; the overall added value of the project in terms of promoting knowledge, development
of training activities, innovation, and dissemination of results, and interdisciplinary issues.
 General governance of the IJL, in line with national priorities in higher education and research
of the partner country, IRD research units, and the organisation and feasibility of the proposed
work plan.
 Qualifications and experience of project coordinators in the project’s subject area,
management, team management and training.
 Quality and structure of the partnership at a local and regional level.
 Level of human resources engaged by the contracting parties, critical mass of the scientific
community involved in the project (by grade, positions for doctoral and post-doctoral
students, etc.).
 Sufficient material resources to ensure the smooth running of the project:
o Significant contributions from the contracting parties (co-financing, equipment, specific
allocation of grants, provision of teaching hours, taking on duties, etc.).
o Potential involvement of national or international funding institutions.

Financial support provided by the IRD

After final selection each project will receive annual funding for a total maximum amount of €40,000
from 2019.

Documents to be provided

Letter of interest ( 1three-page document max.) specifying the following: Title of the project ;
Names and addresses of the proposed project coordinators ; The teams/partners involved ; The
subject ; Research, training, and valorisation objectives ; Examples demonstrating how the project is
in line with the institute's scientific and strategic priorities ; The project’s added value in terms of its
contribution to structuring higher education and research in the country where the project is based
Regional cooperation, if required.

The full IJL application file (document1 20 pages max. excluding appendices) will be presented
jointly by the two project owners and should include the following:

 A personal details form: Title, names and addresses of the proposed project coordinators,
partners/teams involved, subject priority (ies) and discipline(s).

1
Font Times New Roman, size 11, single-spaced.
 A summary of the project (maximum two pages1) specifying the following details: Background
and scientific objectives for the long-term and for the duration of the IJL:
partnership
research projects,
training and valorisation
innovation
expected results.
 A detailed description of the project: Background and general issues
Scientific objectives
Provisional operational schedule
Research projects
Details of training (particularly contributions intended for training at master's and doctoral level)
and commercialisation
Coherence in the merging of teams
Added-value in terms of structuring or consolidating the north-south and south-south
partnership
Project innovations
Expected results
Aim and visibility at a regional and international level.
 An overview of the teams: a list of the staff involved (researchers, teacher-researchers,
engineers, technicians, doctoral and post-doctoral students), with an indication of the FTE (full-
time equivalent) rate dedicated to the project for each of them. Staff with an FTE of at least 30
% in the project will be considered IJL members. Staff with an FTE of less than 30 % will be
considered 'associates'.
 A presentation of the organisation and how the north-south management of the project will
work.
 A provisional schedule for the geographical assignments of IJL members for the coming five
years.
 A detailed description of the facilities and equipment provided by the partner(s).
 A provisional budget for the coming five years for the IJL, specifying the contributions of the
various parties to the overall functioning of the project and estimates of specific requirements
(equipment, facilities, etc.).

In the appendix:

 Project coordinators' CVs (3-4 pages), main works published in the previous five years (10 max.),
the economic/social value represented by the project members.
 The recommendation from the leaders of all research units or equivalent structures to which the
staff involved in the IJL project are attached.
 An agreement in principle signed by leaders of the institutions to which the project coordinators
are attached.

Submission of applications
Letters of interest and applications should be completed jointly by the northern and southern IJL
project coordinators. These documents should then be signed by the heads of partner research units
and sent by email in PDF format at the following email address: lmi@ird.fr.
The documents should also be sent to the concerned scientific department(s) at IRD:
- disco@ird.fr
- ecobio@ird.fr
- oceans@ird.fr
- sante@ird.fr
- soc@ird.fr